Euronews

Taking a walk on the wild side could soon start in a Japanese zoo.

Keepers at Kimine Zoo in Hitachi city are readying the next ‘must have’ fashion accessory- jeans made by animals.

The production line starts with tyres and toys wrapped in denim, before brown bears, Bengal tigers and lions release their inner designer, tearing and ripping at the material whilst they play, to produce some interesting results.

More than just bite marks and branding, the man behind the maulings – Takuyu Miyamoto – wants to raise awareness of the local zoo and bring in larger crowds: “I wanted to create something with the animals of the zoo linked to fashion. By making a connection between the two, I thought that I could attract young customers to pay more attention to the zoo.”

Four pairs of jeans have already been sold at auction, fetching over 800 euros a piece, with one reported to have gone for 1,100 euros.

But the predators are not working pro bono, the proceeds will go to the World Wildlife Federation, helping to pay for future preservation.